We tried 7 sugar-free, low-carb and keto pasta sauces to determine which sauces were the best tasting and lowest in carbs.
Since more sugar-free and keto-friendly pasta sauces are hitting the market, we did a taste test to determine the best-tasting spaghetti sauces that are sugar-free, low in carbs and have clean, simple ingredients.
We bought seven leading pasta sauce brands like Rao's Homemade and Barilla, which can be found at large grocers or on Amazon. While we ranked the sauces mostly on taste, we also considered ingredients, net carbs, cost and availability.
Pasta sauce is an important ingredient since it can be used in a variety of dishes like chili, ground beef dishes or tomato soup. And depending on the recipe, you may want to experiment with the different options to determine what pasta sauce is best for you.
Here is our ranking of the best low-carb and keto pasta sauces.
Review of Low-Carb & Keto Pasta Sauces
1. Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce
Some say Rao’s is the best jarred pasta sauce there ever was (case in point: Bon Appetit). And you know what, we have to agree. It really does taste just as good as homemade sauce (or almost as good, depending on the chef). Plus, it's one of the lowest in carb pasta sauces that's made with simple, high-quality ingredients like tomatoes, olive oil, onions, garlic, and basil. But, it is pretty expensive, so it's best if you can get it on sale.
Net Carbs: 5 grams net carbs per ½ cup
Ingredients: Italian Whole Peeled Tomatoes, Olive Oil, Onions, Salt, Garlic, Basil, Black Pepper, Oregano.
Amazon Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
Other Sauces: Arrabbiata (our favorite), Tomato Basil, Vodka, Roasted Garlic, Italian Sausage & Mushroom, etc.
PROS:
- Best in taste: natural, full flavor sauce with small tomato chunks
- Available at most grocers
- All natural, quality ingredients
- Low in net carbs
CONS:
- Higher in cost: $23.65 ($0.84 / Ounce) per 28 ounces on Amazon
- Slightly higher in calories (and fat)
2. Victoria Marinara Sauce
Victoria is another high-end brand of pasta sauce that is made with imported Italian tomatoes and other clean, quality ingredients. Victoria Marinara Sauce has a nice natural flavor, but we didn't think it was as flavorful as Rao's Homemade Sauce. However, it's still a great tasing sauce that is low in carbs (5 grams net carbs per half cup) and uses quality ingredients. It's also slightly lower in calories and fat compared to Rao's Homemade Sauce.
Net Carbs: 5 grams net carbs per ½ cup
Ingredients: Whole Tomatoes In Juice, Onions, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Garlic, Basil, Spices.
Amazon Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Other Sauces: Vodka, Fradiavolo, Alfredo, Tomato Basil, Roasted Garlic, etc.
PROS:
- Good, natural flavor
- Quality ingredients
- Low in net carbs and calories
- Lower in cost at $8.65 ($0.36 / Ounce) per 24 ounces on Amazon
CONS:
- Not as common at grocers
3. Mezzetta Marinara Sauce
Mezzetta is a popular brand in the condiment aisle as it also sells jarred peppers, olives and pickled veggies. The Mezzetta Marinara Sauce has a more herby flavor with small chunks of tomato. Although it doesn't have a vibrant tomato flavor like Rao's or Victoria, it's still quite natural tasting and flavorful. It's made with quality, clean ingredients and is less expensive than Rao's and Victoria.
Net Carbs: 6 grams net carbs per ½ cup
Ingredients: Italian Plum Tomatoes from Italy's San Marzano Region, California Plum Tomatoes, Imported Olive Oil, Fresh Onions, Sea Salt, Fresh Garlic, Fresh Basil, Black Pepper, Spices.
Amazon Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Other Sauces: Parmigiano Reggiano, Trufflle, Porcinia & Cream, Caramelized Onion, Tomato Pesto, etc.
PROS:
- Decent flavor
- Quality ingredients
- Many positive review on Amazon
- Lower in cost on Amazon: $6.99 per 24 ounces ($0.29/Ounce) on Amazon
CONS:
- Not as common at grocers
- Slightly higher in calories (and fat)
4. Barilla Marinara Sauce
In addition to pasta noodles, Barilla also sells a line of pasta sauces. You can find Barilla sauces at many grocers and they're affordably priced. Barilla Marinara is a thicker sauce that isn't as natural in flavor as the above-mentioned brands (like Rao's, Victoria and Mezzetta). However, the marinara sauce is more flavorful than the below-mentioned Prego Marinara Sauce. It's made with quality ingredients (with the exception of natural flavor) and is affordably priced.
Net Carbs: 7 grams net carbs per ½ cup
Ingredients: Diced tomatoes in tomato juice, tomato puree (water, tomato paste), onions, garlic, sea salt, basil, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, citric acid (acidity regulator), natural flavor.
Amazon Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
Other Sauces: Garlic, Spicy Marinara, Traditional, Tomato Basil, Tuscan Herb, etc.
PROS:
- Low in calories and fat
- Affordably priced at $3.79 per 24 ounce ($.16 per ounce) on Amazon
- Made with quality ingredients (with the exception of natural flavor)
- Can be found at most grocers
CONS:
- Thicker sauce that isn't as well balanced as Rao's or Victoria sauces
- Slightly higher in net carbs at 7 grams per ½ cup
5. Prego No-Sugar Added Traditional Sauce
Prego recently added a no-sugar added pasta sauce to its array of pasta sauces that are typically abundant at grocers. Even though it's a no-sugar sauce, it seems to taste sweeter than the other sauces in this review. That said, it has a vibrant tomato flavor, which isn't too bad. However, the ingredients include canola oil (although less than 1 percent) and extracts instead of the actual ingredients. Much like Barilla, this sauce is low in calories, fat and price.
Net Carbs: 7 grams net carbs per ½ cup
Ingredients: Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Diced Tomatoes In Tomato Juice, Contains Less Than 1% Of: Salt, Canola Oil, Dried Garlic, Dried Onions, Spices, Basil, Citric Acid, Onion Extract, Garlic Extract.
Amazon Rating: 4.6 out of 5 total stars
Other Sauces: Please note that other Prego sauces are higher in carbs and sugar with the exception of no-sugar added sauces
PROS:
- Decent sauce given price
- Lower in calories and fat
- Very low in cost: $2.99 for 23.5 ounces ($0.13 / Ounce) on Amazon
CONS:
- Slightly higher in net carbs at 7 grams
- Sweeter, less natural-tasting sauce
- Ingredients include canola oil, onion extract and garlic extract
6. Hoboken Farms Vodka Sauce
Hoboken sauce differs from the other sauces on this list since it's a vodka sauce (but they also have a marinara sauce, which we hope to try soon). Since we've seen Hoboken sauce advertised on Amazon as keto-certified, no-sugar added, and gluten-free, we just had to get. It's a sweeter, thinner sauce that has a different flavor. Overall, we weren't as satisfied with the flavor compared to other brands on the list. That said, it's made with good, quality ingredients.
Net Carbs: 7 grams net carb per half cup
Ingredients: Plum Tomatoes, Heavy Cream, Fresh Onion, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Garlic, Parmesan & Romano Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cultures, Salt, Enzyme, Powdered Cellulose (Anti Caking Agent)), Butter, Fresh Basil, Sea Salt, Vodka, Citric Acid, Black Pepper.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 out of 5 total stars
Other Sauces: Marinara, Basil Marinara, Low Sodium Marinara
PROS:
- Good, quality ingredients
CONS:
- Flavor not quite right (in our opinion; please take with a grain of salt)
- More expensive at $12 ($0.48 / Ounce) per 25 ounces on amazon
- Slightly higher in net carbs at 7 grams per half cup
- Not available at most grocers; can buy on Amazon
7. Yo Mama's Marinara Sauce
Yo Mama's is another popular low-carb marinara sauce we've seen on Amazon that's advertised as low-carb, no-sugar added, low-sodium, and gluten-free. Although this sauce gets good reviews on Amazon, we found the marinara sauce not as flavorful and natural-tasting as other brands on this list. It's a thinner marinara sauce (almost watery) that even tastes a little sweet. However, it's made with fresh, quality ingredients and is low in carbs at 4 grams per ½ cup.
Net Carbs: 4 gram net carbs per ½ cup
Ingredients: Fresh tomatoes, fresh onions, fresh garlic, white wine, olive oil, basil, salt, oregano, black pepper
Amazon Rating: 4.3 out of 5 total stars
Other Sauces: Spicy Marinara, Basil
PROS:
- Made with fresh quality ingredients
- Lowest in net carbs at 4 grams per ½ cup
- Very low in calories
CONS:
- Thin, less flavorful sauce compared to other brands on list
- Not available at many grocers; can order through Amazon
- More expensive at 6.66 per 12.5 ounces ($.53 / Ounce)
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